


The Meeting Place

by lidiamartini



Category: Arctic Monkeys, Last Shadow Puppets
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, milex - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 11:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2730932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lidiamartini/pseuds/lidiamartini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do we tell him?" He mouthed to her.</p>
<p>	He could see lots of other kids snickering to themselves as the raging music blared from the headphones that apparently weren't plugged in all the way. The boy read peacefully and tapped his fingers to the beat of the music innocently. </p>
<p>	Kim looked back at him and hummed, which did absolutely nothing. </p>
<p>	Alex furrowed his eyebrows. "What does that even mean?" He whispered furiously. He didn't get a reply. Alex rolled his eyes with a slight grin on his face. He's never known Kim to give him a straight answer. </p>
<p>	Gingerly, Alex turned back to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. </p>
<p>	He started and took out one earphone, looking back at Alex expectantly. </p>
<p>	"Sorry?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Meeting Place

The Meeting Place  
"Some people are like slinkis, not really good for anything but they put a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs. Sometimes, these people seem to be your ‘soul mate’."

Depression hung thick in the air the day everyone slumped back into school the day after the weekend ended. Exams were too soon, and Christmas wasn't soon enough. Alex dragged his feet on the way to school, dreading the moment of stepping through the doors because of the sense of finality that accompanied it. As soon as they all entered school, it was over. Alex held his breath as he stood on the perimeter of the building and for a moment, no one seemed to even whisper. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, his reverie was broken, and sound entered the world again. He was swept up in the tide of students flowing into the school, and resigned himself to another week of work. 

Back into the fray.

....

Miles stepped into the school for the first time, addressing his schedule for his first class. Study hall. He frowned, not really understanding the importance of having a period to work on homework when he hadn't had any classes before. Miles shrugged in acceptance, and worked his way across the school, pushing through the sea of students as he walked. Keeping one eye on the room numbers and one eye in front of him, Miles finally found his class. Stepping in, he could already see the students divided into groups. An explosion of chatter met him as everyone's eyes fell on Miles, taking in the new kid. He got a few smiles, some names that he was going to have trouble putting to faces later on, and a couple glares. 

When the bell sounded, the students moved to their seats with minimal groaning. The seemingly random placing of the students suggested a seating chart, so Miles didn't see a problem in sitting in the only empty seat towards the back of the classroom. To his right was a boy with dark hair that hung in his face, and to his right sat a pretty black girl who soon introduced herself as Kim. 

"We're not allowed to listen to music, but if it's not too loud you can get away with it," Kim whispered. "I don't think Mrs. Miller'll mind today though, even if she sees you. It's not like we have much to-"

Mrs. Miller coughed and stared pointedly at Kim, who simply shrugged and backed off.

Taking this as the end of their conversation, Miles turned to his phone and plugged in his headphones. He pulled out a book, settled down, and started to read in peace for about ten minutes until he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

....

Alex leaned back in his chair and made eye contact with Kim behind the new kid's back. 

"Do we tell him?" He mouthed to her.

He could see lots of other kids snickering to themselves as the raging music blared from the headphones that apparently weren't plugged in all the way. The boy read peacefully and tapped his fingers to the beat of the music innocently. 

Kim looked back at him and hummed, which did absolutely nothing. 

Alex furrowed his eyebrows. "What does that even mean?" He whispered furiously. He didn't get a reply. Alex rolled his eyes with a slight grin on his face. He's never known Kim to give him a straight answer. 

Gingerly, Alex turned back to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. 

He started and took out one earphone, looking back at Alex expectantly. 

"Sorry?"

Alex grimaced awkwardly, and after a moment's hesitation, spoke slowly. 

"Your, uh . . . Your headphones haven't been plugged in. Just thought you should know," he provided. 

The boy's face was blank for a second until a sudden, horrifying realization passed his face. His eyes grew wider and his face turned red when he understood what Alex meant. He quickly rushed to turn the music off, and the rest of the period was spent in silence, except for a quiet "thank you" coming from Miles. 

....

At the end of study hall, Miles started packing up when he felt someone standing next to him. 

"I'm Alex," the boy said when Miles looked up. He had a sort of doofy grin on his face as he introduced himself.

"Miles, yeah?" He waited for a nod from Miles to confirm, and then continued. "Nice tunes." Miles groaned, waiting for more sarcasm. 

"Look, if you're just going to make fun of me-"

Alex looked startled, and reached his hands out while he tried to backtrack.

"I wasn't- I wasn't making fun of you. That band rocks."

Both of the kids were silent for a second until Miles slowly nodded and offered a small smile. 

Seeing this, Alex grinned and hit him lightly on the arm as he walked out of the room.

"See you around Miles!"

....

The cafeteria greeted Miles with an eruption of sound as everyone milled around, all trying to find their way around. He walked towards an empty table and sat down, dumping his bagged lunch out on the table and inspecting its contents. Unfortunately, Kim and Alex had been the closest things to friend that Miles had found all day and consequently, he had no one to sit with. He wasn't an unpopular person at his old school. No, Miles was definitely tolerable, but only really put himself out there when someone else made the first move. 

About ten minutes into lunch, he saw someone come 'round the table. 

"Is it alright if we sit here too?" Alex asked hesitatingly. 

Miles laughed, short and quick. "Go right ahead."

The word "we" hadn't really clicked in his head until he saw Alex smile in relief and motion over his shoulder to some other kids. On his queue, four other boys joined him. 

Immediately upon sitting down, they all broke into conversation, treating Miles like an old friend. Alex was a bit quieter, occasionally shooting him a small smile or apologetic look. 

Miles looked around the table as everyone introduced themselves. He gauged their relationships with each other, wondering how their social statuses were stacked. They seemed well liked by everyone, but the boys were, predictably, closest with each other. Matt stole a bite of Jamie's sandwich, Nick took a couple of Andy's fries, and Alex almost shoved Matt off the bench. 

All in all, Miles was a bit overwhelmed. Alex saw him looking a bit out of sorts amidst all the inside jokes and personal stories that could only be shared between old friends and moved the conversation to things Miles could talk about. 

"So, where're you from?" Alex asked. When everyone else heard him ask, they all stopped talking so they could hear his answer.

"We used to be in The Wirral- me mam wanted a fresh start though, ya know." Miles shrugged. 

Alex nodded at this like he understood and didn't prod, which Miles appreciated. Though if you were looking closely, throughout the rest of lunch, Alex would casually lean on Miles, pressing an arm beside him, or a casual hand over his shoulder. In his own odd way, Alex was telling Miles he wasn't alone, he wasn't without friends. 

When Miles stepped through the front door of his house, he shouted a hello to his mam across the home. She walked into the kitchen where he sat and leaned against the doorframe, a dirty rag in her hands. 

"Make any new friends?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

After a quiet minute, Miles was able to say with certainty, "Yeah, yeah I think I have."

**Author's Note:**

> should I continue it? and also please, please tell me if I'm being too cliche with this or if you have any grammar tips or any tips in general. I could use all I can get


End file.
